Study: Cognizin Enhances Motor Skills, Attention in Male Teens

NEW YORK—A lab tests conducted by the Brain Institute at the University of Utah found adolescent males experience increased motor speed and attention after supplementing with Cognizin brand citicoline (CDP-choline). The results were unveiled at the annual American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology conference in Hollywood, Florida.

Cognizin, manufactured by Kyowa Hakko USA Inc., has been the subject to previous trials in healthy subjects, but it has undergone limited research dedicated to healthy adolescent populations; typically research has involved adults with neurological deficits. Additionally, the research found self-reported side effects of administration were not greater compared to participants in the placebo-controlled group.

The study divided 75 healthy adolescent men randomly assigned into the treatment group (n=51) and the placebo group (n=24). The treatment group received either 250 mg or 500 mg of Cognizin over a 28-day period. To test the group, researchers conducted the “Finger Tap Test," a motor function assessment during which participants are required to press a lever attached to a mechanical counter as many times as possible during discrete time periods.  Additionally, the “Ruff 2 &7 Selective Attention Test" was administered, which tests a timed cancellation tasks in which participants cross out twos and sevens embedded in blocks of distractor numbers or letters. The participants who supplemented with Cognizin showed greater attention and motor function than the control group.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) awarded Cognizin a novel food ingredient status in July.